The largest mangrove forest in the world is in trouble. The Sundarbans, which sit in the delta on India’s east and the south-west of Bangladesh, are an exceptional ecosystem, formed by the confluence of three great rivers. These mangroves have increasingly borne the brunt of cyclones, rising sea levels and warmer temperatures.
In 2021, the erosion was so severe that a school in a village in one of the many low-lying islands was washed away. The steady depletion of the environment, especially in the past decade, has drastically affected the existence of people who live among these forests, on small islands such as Ghoramara, which is about five square kilometres.
Agricultural conditions have also been devastated, with the soil turning barren from water that is too saline to farm either rice or beetle leaves that were once predominant crops. Hundreds of families have had to move away from this gradually sinking island 90km south of Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is natural, then, that the daily concerns of the approximately 4,000 people for whom the island is still home are vastly different from those of urban dwellers in mainland West Bengal.
In India’s recently concluded elections, the voters in Ghoramara were distressed about their literal survival more than any other concern. “For us, the protection of the island is the main issue in this election,” said Patra, one of the 3,700 registered voters in Ghoramara. The inhabitants of the island are fighting to save their homes. Even as parts of the Sundarbans carry the tag of Unesco World Heritage Sites, parts of these expansive forests are also endangered.
The state government, that is the Trinamool Congress, led by trusted matriarch Mamata Banerjee – who again won a resounding victory on June 4 – had announced a project, supported by the World Bank, to strengthen the embankments, and seeking Dutch expertise to do so, given that one thirds of the Netherlands lies below seawater. Ms Banerjee’s continued tenure could ensure that these plans stay on track to prevent further degradation of the mangroves.
For the people of Ghoramara, however, troubled by the evident erosion, distant political developments don’t assuage the very real fears of their home being swallowed by the sea.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Company%20Profile
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
8.50pm: Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
9.25pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections
6.30pm: Final Song
7.05pm: Pocket Dynamo
7.40pm: Dubai Icon
8.15pm: Dubai Legacy
8.50pm: Drafted
9.25pm: Lucius Tiberius
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
England Test squad
Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
MATCH SCHEDULE
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tuesday, April 24 (10.45pm)
Liverpool v Roma
Wednesday, April 25
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid (10.45pm)
Europa League semi-final, first leg
Thursday, April 26
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid (11.05pm)
Marseille v Salzburg (11.05pm)
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
